The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-08

their presence. True, after middle life,
there is decay of the body and its func-
tions but the decay of the physical,
and its death, is necessary to the full
development and perfection Of the spir-
itual-to usher the soul into the spirit
life, and fit it for it's higher sphere.
Now, can any man think that having,
as it were, by infinite pains and labor,
brought the soul up through the action
of the great law of progress, from moth
ing to this important and critical point,
when its highest fruits are just ready
to be reaped-when the wondrous plan,
so long and so steadily Kept in view, is
just on the eve of accomplishment
when the divine ideal il about to be re-
allied, and embodied in living and i'm
mortal forms-that God should then
repeal the law which had accomplished
so much, and which might accomplish
all his desires ? That b fit of anger,
as it were, he should apply the torch to
his highest works-the products of his
highest art-and wantonly destroy the
best results of all his creative labor
1t cannot be. We may be sure he will
cling 20 the purpose he has SO long cher
ished. He will adhere to the great law
of progression, through which he has
already accomplishments much, and
which will finally perfect his universe.
Unless he interferes % arbitrarily re-
peal the law, so to spec, and absolutely
prevent the soul from 6arning, reform
ing, and advancing in Wsdom and good
ness-unless he destroys our moral
powers, and the freedom we now have,
and takes from us the good influences
by which we are noW surrounded-in
time all will surely cone to him and be
saved. And is it likely he will do this ?
Is it likely he will Iender impossible
what he most of all debires and what
he has made such Tremendous sacri-
fees of creative effortjand providential
means to accomplish
Let things but remain as they are
let man retain the powers and agency
he now has, and let Gospel influences
continue, and there c6n be no question
of the ultimate saly<tion of all. If
during threescore yea8 and ten, for in
stance, a certain per cent accept the
gospel, and circumz z<ances continue
equally favorable, it ill require only
the simplest arithmet1cal calculation to
determine the lengthhf time in which
all will accept. ono hundred divided
by per cent, and IL sipiied by three
score and ten equals required number
of years. Any school boy can solve the
problem, if things remain as they are;
but we may be sure that the agencies of
salvation, and the powers of the soul,
so far from being withdrawn, will Gu
mulate and culminate when we have
s'shuffied off this mortal coil" The
law of progress demands it, and the
nature of the case. The veil of the
flesh being taken away, we shall see
with clearer vision, and hear all the
voices of the divine love with unob
structed ears, and feel with a purer
heart, unstained by passion, and run in
the heavenly race with unclogged feet,
till we all reach the final goal. "He
that is dead is freed from sin, said the
apostle. And all that die in Adam shall
be made alive in Christ. Under the
government of an infinite God of wis
dom and love, good shall everywhere
triumph, evil shall be entirely abol-
ished, and all men saved. Praise the
Lord